The Gift: an Alternative to "Psionics" (3.5e Variant Rule)

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This is an attempt to come up with a different approach to psychic powers, for those dissatisfied with the current psionic system. I'm trying to get closer to the portrayal of the "psychic" in fantasy: the gypsy fortune-teller, the faith-healer, the warrior who can foresee his opponent's moves in combat, the otherwise normal person with one or more supernatural abilities. Not the mighty powers of "psionics" in science-fiction, the powerful abilities that operate like high-level spells (though I have assumed that it should be easier to influence minds and magic with psychic powers than to influence inanimate objects).

There are no "power points" in this system. Most psychic powers are usable at will, any number of times per day, and most operate on a successful skill check. And each of them is a Feat, allowing characters to take them without delaying progression in their main classes: provided they were born with "The Gift", a special Feat that normally must be selected at first level, representing psychic potential (and the loss of 2 points of Constitution).

If a character without the Gift wants it badly enough, there is a way of getting it: but it's not easy. The power of a full Wish is required to bestow The Gift on someone not born with it, and it must be administered by a psychic practitioner using the Insinuation power, with at least 20 ranks of Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive skills (representing the degree of mental finesse required to operate on the recipient's mind). Furthermore, the recipient will immediately lose 2 points of Constitution (the usual penalty associated with the Gift) and will lose his/her next Feat (as The Gift takes the place of it).

These powers are magical, and generally won't work in an Anti-Magic Field or null-magic area (with some exceptions: Vitality and Mind Of Power are one-off irreversible transformations). However, continually-operating psychic powers (such as Power Of Command) are very "low-key" and operate below the threshold of magical detection. Powers such as Fast Healing or Immortality can be detected only while they are actively healing damage or eliminating toxins. Generally, only obvious powers active for a limited duration (like a spell) can be readily detected. Though not spells, offensive powers resemble spells closely enough for Spell Resistance and defensive spells to work against them (they qualify as "spell-like abilities"). Magic items and spells that boost skills will NOT boost psychic skill checks, and neither will synergy bonuses or Skill Focus feats: the Skill Mastery ability of Rogues won't work either. No modifiers apply to psychic skill rolls except racial and ability score modifiers. Ability scores may include "inherent" bonuses, but "enhancement" bonuses are ignored.

Some powers are based on the character's level. In such cases, overall character level is used, including racial hitdice and level adjusts. For instance, a psychic Satyr character who is a 3rd level Bard would count as 10th level (5 hitdice, LA +2, 3 class levels).

Creatures described as naturally psychic (e.g. the various "psionic" monsters) receive The Gift as a bonus feat, and do not suffer the usual penalties associated with it: no loss of constitution, no danger of uncontrolled psychic powers. Their listed abilities don't require any additional feats, but they may still take such feats to gain additional powers. References to the "Psion" and "Psychic Warrior" classes may be replaced by "Sorcerer" and "Fighter" respectively.

For those that want to develop their psychic abilities faster, I've provided a five-level Prestige Class, the "Gifted", offering one bonus psychic Feat per level (two at 5th level).

There is only one entry requirement for this prestige class: the Feat known as "The Gift", the potential to develop psychic powers.

NPC members of this class will usually begin as Commoners or Experts: normal people with a special potential. However, some are children.

Hit dice: d6

Attack and Saves: The Gifted have good Will saves and moderate combat skills, gaining +1 BAB at all levels except 1st and 5th.

Weapons and Armour: The Gifted gain no proficiency with weapons or armour.

Skills: The Gifted get 6 skill points per level (plus Intelligence modifier). However, they have no class skills except those bestowed by psychic Feats: thus, Concentration (bestowed by The Gift itself) is the only class skill they are guaranteed to have.

Bonus Feats: The Gifted get one bonus psychic Feat for each of the first four levels of this class, and two at 5th level.